Barbra Streisand: One Voice

Veteran entertainers Barbra Streisand and Barry Manilow are bringing the likes of Elvis Presley and Whitney Houston back from the dead to feature on their respective duets albums. The Funny Girl icon has been working on Partners for the past two years and on Monday (11Aug14), she unveiled the cover art for the project, revealing a collaboration with the King.
Details about the duet have yet to be released, but he won't be the only big name featured on Partners - Streisand has also headed into the studio with Stevie Wonder, Billy Joel, Lionel Richie, Babyface and Italian opera singer Andrea Bocelli, as well as her younger contemporaries Michael Buble, Josh Groban, Blake Shelton, John Mayer and John Legend.
Her singer son Jason Gould, whose father is actor Elliott Gould, will also make an appearance on the September (14) album after previously joining his famous mum onstage during her U.S. and European tours in 2012 and 2013.
Meanwhile, Manilow has also headed down the collaboration route for his next release, which will be fully comprised of duets with late legends.
In a message on his Facebook.com page, the singer reveals he wasn't completely sold on the idea of another all-star duets album, so he decided to draw inspiration from beyond the grave.
He writes, "I came up with a weird idea: What if I could make duets out of my favorite songs by artists that are no longer with us? What if I could I actually sing with John Denver, Whitney Houston or Judy Garland?
"Well, after months of creating brand new duet arrangements of famous songs done by these legendary artists, I did. I actually sang with them. And we're just about done with the album...
"The album is a miracle. It's been a huge undertaking, musically and technically.
"It was an honor singing with Whitney (I ran for the Kleenex when I heard her voice!), Dusty Springfield, Louis Armstrong and more. I hope you'll like this one. I'm very proud of it. The release date is sometime in late October."

Universal via Everett Collection
Plenty of singers try their hand at acting… some successfully (Cher, Barbara Streisand) and others not so successfully (Madonna, Kelly Clarkson, Mariah Carey, Christina Aguilera, etc.). There are times, though, when we're bowled over by the musical talents of our favorite actresses.
Whether it's voicing an animated heroine or taking an unexpected role in a big budget musical, these actresses have proven that they have the pipes to belt out a tune while still delivering top-notch acting performances.
Kristen Bell
When many people saw the credits for Disney's Frozen, they assumed that Bell was just providing the speaking part for Anna, that surely it was someone else singing on "Love Is an Open Door." Even some hardcore Veronica Mars fans had lost sight of the fact that Bell came from a musical theater background or forgot about her appearance in Refer Madness: The Musical.
Anne Hathaway
So, a lot of people find Hathaway pretentious and annoying… it doesn't change the fact that the girl can sing. Audiences were surprised when her character started singing in one of her early films, Ella Enchanted, but by the time of Les Miserables, we were all aware that she had the ability. Still, her powerful rendition of "I Dreamed a Dream" surprised just about everyone.
Amanda Seyfried
When Seyfried was first starting out in Mean Girls, we thought she was just another soap opera actress (she appeared on As the World Turns and All My Children) making a jump to the big time… which she subsequently did with her role on HBO's Big Love. Little known to the public, she had training in not only musical theater, but opera. It wasn't until 2008's Mamma Mia! that audiences got a taste of her singing… and then came her performance as Cosette in Les Miserables. C'est magnifique!
Emma Stone
Stone doesn't sing much because of some vocal cord issues, but when she was younger she was part of VH1's In Search of the New Partridge Family. She also did some backing vocals for the remake of The Waitresses' "I Know What Boys Like" from The House Bunny. It was her performance during the school assembly scene of Easy A,where she rocked the disco classic "Knock on Wood," that left audiences wondering if it was really her voice. It was indeed, and she was spectacular.
Meryl Streep
For years, Streep was known as the premier actress of her generation, though not as a performer with any musical ability. Starting with 2006's Prairie Home Companion, however, Streep has been unafraid to put her voice out for public consumption. She looked like she was having a blast playing the lead in Mamma Mia! opposite Seyfried and will soon be back on the big screen playing the Witch in the film adaption of Stephen Sondheim's Into the Woods.
Anna Kendrick
Despite starting her career doing Broadway musicals as a girl, the new "It" singing actress first came to notice with largely non-musical roles in Twilight and Up in the Air (although we did get a glimpse with her karaoke version of "Time After Time"). It wasn't until she killed as the reluctant a capella participant in Pitch Perfect that audiences fell in love with her voice. The actresses even scored a hit single with her version of "Cups (When I'm Gone)" from the soundtrack. With roles in Into the Woods and Pitch Perfect 2, we'll get plenty of opportunities to continue enjoying her vocal talent.
Zooey Deschanel
Her work with M. Ward on their She &amp; Him projects have turned Deschanel into a legitimate recording artist, but she's still better known for her acting in movies like (500) Days of Summer and her TV show New Girl. Every Christmas the actress pops up in one of her earlier film roles as Will Ferrell's love interest in Elf singing holiday classics and she's set to appear in Barry Levinson's musical comedy Rock the Kasbah.
Amy Adams
Adams may be a five-time Academy Award nominee and might turn heads on the red carpet with her plunging necklines, but she knows her way around a song as well. The actress made a believable live-action Disney princess in Enchanted, including taking center stage during the big production number "That's How You Know." She apparently likes to sing in kiddie fare, because her other big on-screen musical moments mostly happened with Jason Segel, Kermit and Miss Piggy in The Muppets.
Gwyneth Paltrow
Paltrow's mother, Blythe Danner, started her film career in the musical 1776 and she has an uncle that's an opera singer, so she comes by her vocal abilities honestly. After making her on-screen singing debut in Emma, she starred in her father Bruce Paltrow's Duets, where her collaboration with Huey Lewis on Smokey Robinson's "Cruisin'" spawned an adult contemporary hit. Besides having a recurring spot on TV's Glee, Paltrow also got her twang on in Country Strong.
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Universal Pictures via Everett Collection/FOX
Both Anna Kendrick and Lea Michele began their careers as child stars on Broadway, each earning acclaim for their stage work before they hit puberty. Kendrick originally found success on film in movies like the Twilight saga before wowing audiences with her voice in Pitch Perfect. Michele won fame on television as the uber-ambitious Rachel Berry on Glee. Kendrick was nominated for an Academy Award for Up in the Air. Michele has a mantel full of People's Choice awards and has been nominated for an Emmy. Kendrick had a Top 10 hit with "Cups (When I'm Gone)" from Pitch Perfect. Michele just released her first solo album and has made numerous chart appearances thanks to the various Glee soundtracks.
Recently, it was announced that Kendrick has been cast as the lead in the film adaption of Jason Robert Brown's musical The Last Five Years, on the heels of playing Cinderella in the movie version of Stephen Sondheim's Into the Woods and reprising her character in Pitch Perfect 2. Michele, on the other hand, is still hard at work on Glee, promoting her album and fending off rumors that — in a storyline straight out of her TV show — she'll appear on Broadway in a revival of Funny Girl. If you were casting a musical, however, and had to choose one or the other, which would you pick?
The Case for Anna KendrickMost performers spend a career trying to build a resume as accomplished as the one that Kendrick has already compiled at 28. Trying to find someone that doesn't like Kendrick is next to impossible and she's proven that she can play sweet or snarky equally well. Her voice caught moviegoers off guard in Pitch Perfect, but now that everyone knows about it, she's got an audience eager for more. Sondheim fans might cringe at the thought of Johnny Depp as the Wolf or Meryl Streep as the Witch in Into the Woods, but Kendrick's casting was met with sighs of relief. There was a genuine buzz among musical lovers when Kendrick signed on to The Last Five Years, with people eager to see what she'll do with the Off-Broadway story of a novelist and actresses' failed relationship. Perhaps just as importantly, Kendrick comes across as someone that you would want to be friends with… not a bad thing with audiences or the people that have to work with her.
The Case for Lea MicheleSince the beginning of Glee, one of the dangers for Michele has been audiences associating her too closely with her on-screen alter ego, Rachel, who can belt with the best of them, but can also come across as demanding, needy and annoying. Part of the reason that Michele, 27, does so well with the role is that there are similarities between real life and fiction. Michele really does idolize Barbra Streisand, and it wouldn't be a stretch to see Rachel in a production of Les Miserables, just as Michele was as a youngster. What sets Michele apart is that she doesn't appear to have an issue with not being liked. She doesn't shy away from being a diva and doesn't seem to care who has an issue with it. There are a lot of roles that require that kind of chutzpah, particularly in musicals and especially when you have a voice as big as Michele's.
VerdictThere's a reason why Kendrick is the hot name for movie musicals right now and that status is completely deserved. Her presence alone would make a mediocre musical at least watchable. If you want someone that's going to be brassy and in-your-face, however, that's more Michele's forte. Perhaps audiences will get lucky and the two will pair up — as Kristin Chenoweth and Idina Menzel did on stage — in a film version of Wicked. There's a movie we'd pay to see.
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We're the Millers is a screwball comedy about a self-involved pot dealer, Dave (Jason Sudeikis), who wrangles stripper Rose (Jennifer Aniston), dopey loser Kenny (Will Poulter), and rebellious runaway teen Casey (Emma Roberts) to join him on a felonious trip across the border and back to smuggle tons of marijuana into the United States from Mexico. Such a wily storyline is sure to provide a slew of organic gags...of course, it doesn't, and the film instead relies on a nonstop barrage of egregious pop culture references to get audiences laughing without expending any real creative effort.
And since they do comprise the majority of the film's runtime, we decided it was only right to pay tribute to said quips. As such, peruse the following comprehensive list of all of the pointless, forced, groan-inducing pop culture references from We're the Millers:
The film opens with Dave watching a string of YouTube clips, most notably the "Double Rainbow" video. Dave and a college friend (Thomas Lennon) discuss a Dave Matthews Band concert. Dave makes a joke about Dexter.Dave refers to a trio of long-haired ruffians as "the cast of Annie." Dave does an impression of Bane, Tom Hardy's character from The Dark Knight Rises. Dave calls a buttoned-up Midwesterner "Flanders," a reference to the Simpsons character. Dave calls stripper Rose "Pretty Woman." Dave mentions that he has rented, but not yet watched, Precious on Netflix. Dave compares Casey to Eminem, specifically from his role in 8 Mile. Dave mentions Dora The Explorer. Dave contrasts his fake family with The Brady Bunch. Dave compares his fake family to Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch. Dave makes a joke about the movie La Bamba.Casey makes a joke about Snoop Dogg's well-known affection for marijuana.Dave denegrates LeBron James and compliments Michael Jordan.Dave, Rose, Casey, and Kenny listen to, and sing along with, "Waterfalls" by TLC.Dave makes reference to Tom Waits.Dave utilizes the Miller Brewing Company slogan, "It's Miller Time."A vacationing couple (Nick Offerman and Kathryn Hahn) mention the movie Free Willy.Dave references Scarface.Rose makes a vulgar joke with the title of the movie Black Hawk Down.Dave sardonically contrasts Rose's acting talents with those of Meryl Streep.Offerman's character mentions that his wife's vibrator is named Joe Morgan.Rose performs a stripping routine, pulling a waterchord in an over-the-top reference to Flashdance.A criminal (Ed Helms) references the mythology of Spider-Man in a discussion about a tarantula bite suffered by Kenny.Dave references Barbra Streisand's celebrity in the theater community.Dave uses the phrase "Whale emoji, hashtag YOLO" while mocking Casey.Dave calls Kenny as "Ken Doll."Dave makes a joke about 50 Cent.And somewhere after that, the film ends. But the references do not! In the blooper reel...
A dumb thug (Mark L. Young) insults Kenny by calling him Don Knotts.Hahn's character likens her tampon to a Stormtrooper.Sudeikis, Roberts, and Poulter surprise Aniston by playing, and singing along to, the Friends theme song.
Did we miss any?
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This week’s episode of Glee seems like it was made perfectly for Goldilocks — It was not too boring but not too thrilling. “Wonder-ful” had just enough NYC goodness to keep us intrigued but it also featured plenty of side-stories that messily seemed to be thrown in the mix because they ran out of time this season to truly highlight certain characters. It was a pretty bland bowl of porridge but the honey sweet news about Burt, the silky smooth Stevie Wonder songs and the spicy reappearance of the one-and-only Kate Hudson, gave this episode the tasty flavor it desperately needed. Read on for all the delicious details from “Wonder-ful” below!
So Here’s What You Missed On Glee
A Wonder-ful Week: The episode opens with an unexpectedly sweet phone call from Rachel to Mr. Schue and she excitedly wants to tell him something that she hasn’t even told Kurt, her dads or Finn yet: Rachel had her callback that morning and the roll for Fanny is now just between her and two other girls! Rachel tells her former teacher, “I just want you to know that if it does happen, it’s because of you.” (Side-Note: Oh em gee! This is so sweet I think I’m getting cavity.) Will is incredibly humbled by the fact that Rachel sang “Don’t Stop Believin’” for her audition song and tells Miss Berry that he could not be more proud of her and the fact that she’s following her dreams.
Over in the choir room Will is bursting with glee and good news as he shares Rachel’s success, reveals that Brittany has been accepted to MIT and is currently touring the campus and happily tells the group that he re-proposed to Emma and she re-accepted. They’re getting married after regionals! (Side-Note: All together Wemma fans… Squeeee! Who else is doing the Wemma wiggle happy dance around their apartment? Just me? Alrighty then!)
Will then tells the group that it’s time to regain in inner optimism because it’s Stevie Wonder week. (Side-Note: Pssssst! Did you glee-bees know that I was the very first person that learned about this episode? Yup! Ryan Murphy told me all about it a few months ago and I was the lucky lady who got to share this "Wonder-ful" news to the world! Okay not-so-subtle brag over. Thanks for listening.)
In NYC we see that Kurt has been counting days off a calendar — and no it’s not the days until Smash is cancelled. In just two more days Burt gets his test results back and we’ll know if he’s officially cancer free. (Side-Note: I still can’t believe they’re putting Kurt and Burt through this. Pick on someone else’s parent!) The stress of not knowing his father’s fate has caused Kurt to embrace a few new OCD rituals into his daily routine — it’s his way of feeling a sense of control over his anxiety. So Kurt is off to Lima to attend Burt’s doctor’s appointment and in a flash we’re suddenly in the halls of McKinley. (Side-Note: Oh goodness! There’s a Klaine moment near! I can feel it, it’s close, it’s happening.)
Rolling in Lies: Over in the hallway A quick-witted Kitty stops Artie and confronts him as to why he’s been acting like such a Debbie Downer lately. Artie reveals that he has been accepted into his dream school of the Brooklyn Film Academy but he is not going to go but refuses to explain why. (Side-Note: Hmm… Color me curious! Okay, wait, no that was a lie. I honestly don’t care why Artie is refusing to go to his dream school but I feel bad that this is the biggest storyline he’s had all season so I’m going to pretend like I should give a hoot.)
Kurt is joined in McKinley by Mike and Mercedes in the choir room and all of the sudden the music starts to play and Kitty takes the lead singing an upbeat version of “Signed, Sealed, Delivered.” (Side-Note: I absolutely adore this song because it reminds me of one of my all-time favorite movies: Now and Then. God I wanted to be just like Teeny when I was little! Okay reminiscing over, back to Glee!) Kitty’s performance ends and she reveals that her song was for Artie to celebrate the fact that he was accepted into film school.
Mercedes says that the song was great but Kitty’s performance lacked ferocity. Kitty smiles and unleashes her verbal claws sarcastically saying, “Clearly we should be taking our advice from someone who came crawling back to Ohio after apparently having her LA dreams shattered.” Kurt quickly corrects Kitty boasting that Mercedes has an album coming out and she’s back in Lima to film a music video for it. Plus, apparently Mr. Schue asked Mercedes to be their new vocal coach and Mike to be their new dance coach to help prepare the kids for Regionals. Tina then promptly has another outburst about how life is unfair and #gleehatesgirls. (Side-Note: Dying from laughter right now. I don’t think Glee hates girls though Tina, sadly I think it’s just you. I still love you lots and lots though!)
Everyone in glee is really proud of Artie but he’s super duper pissed at Kitty because earlier he told her not to tell anyone. Whoops! She asks him what the big deal is and Artie reveals that his mom is freaking out about him moving to the Big Apple because NYC isn’t exactly wheelchair friendly. Kitty must have had a sugary breakfast this morning because she is all kinds of sweet and tells Artie that he would be amazing in film school and to not completely cross out the thought. (Side-Note: Oh okay so we’re totally dismissing the Catfishing storyline again? Awesome. Great. Cool. So we’re missing Santana, Brittany, Finn, Puck, and Emma and you’re still going to deny us the one thing from Lima that we really want? Also in all seriousness can someone please call Sugar and make sure she’s still alive?? I’m starting to panic here guys!)
Artie arrives home to see not one but two ladies waiting for him: his momma — the lovely Katey Sagal — and Kitty. Looks like Artie has been rolling around in a web of lies because his mom didn’t even know that he was accepted into film school. Kitty leaves so she can give Artie and his mom some time to talk but of course she couldn’t leave without calling him a wuss and then giving him on of those big-eyed death stares. (Side-Note: Wait, so why is it that Kitty is the one helping out Artie this week? Shouldn’t Glee have had Tina, help him and his mom come to their brilliant bonding moment? Yet again Tina — Artie’s ex-girlfriend and four year friend — has been pushed to the side and suddenly Kitty is everywhere.)
Artie’s mom confronts him about his lies and he quickly reveals the truth: “Because I’m afraid to go okay? I just thought it would be easier to blame it on you.” She tells her son that she is beyond confident that Artie will adapt and thrive in New York and there’s has to be a real reason as to why he’s hesitant to leave. Artie finally reveals the truth: “I don’t want to leave you alone, ever since the accident you’ve devoted every spare moment to me and it just seems selfish that the thanks I give is packing up an leaving.” She smiles and says that the thing that will make her happiest is seeing he son achieve his dreams. (Side-Note: And just like that, Artie wraps up the biggest moment he’s had all season)
NEXT: Divalicious Attitude and A Very Important Question
Fearless and Brave: Over in the auditorium, Mercedes takes charge of the New Directions and explains to them that the reason they lost Sectionals was because they were all too afraid. Mercedes encourages Marley to let go of her fear and embrace the high notes and daring vocal runs in her songs. The music starts and Mercedes shows off her divalicious bravery with a soulful rendition of “Superstitious.” After the performance Mercedes and Mike approach Jake and tell him that he’s a triple threat: he can sing, he can dance, and he’s sexy as hell. (Side-Note: Duh. We’ve known that all season) They invite Jake to star in Mercedes’ music video and also encourage him to take more a leadership role in the glee club, despite the fact that he’s only a sophomore.
Mike takes to the front of the choir room and says the he’d like to share a dance with one of the newest and most wonderful students in glee — the handsome Jake Puckerman. The music begins and Jake leads Mike in a smooth moves dance duet to “I Wish.” (Side-Note: In addition to admiring Jake’s incredible dance moves, I also kept thinking of the penguin from Happy Feet when he tapped dance to this song. Then I thought of Jake dancing alongside that penguin. Then I giggled so hard that I got the hiccups. And then I put my glass of wine down.)
Kurt and Mike go on a search to find Mercedes and find their upset friend in the auditorium yelling into her phone. As it turns out, Mercedes’ producer is not the nicest guy — he loves her voice, just not her look so now it looks like the album is being put on pause until she reshoots the photo for cover. Mercedes takes some time to discuss the issue with her momma and then comes back to McKinley to tell the group her decision. Mercedes stands in front of the glee club and tells the group that after a lot of thinking and soul-searching she decided that she does not want to compromise who she is to sell an album.
In a flash back we see that she told her producer, “It’s my voice Martin, those are my songs, they tell my story. I’m not going to spend all this time working on my truth and then have you slap something that doesn’t even represent the real me on the cover.” She tells the group that she broke off the record deal but she still has a record and she’ll be selling these CD’s everywhere she can. Mr. Schue tells Mercedes that he’s proud of her for taking the higher ground and just like that, Mercedes breaks into “Higher Ground.” (Side-Note: I’m sorry… what?! You seriously mean to tell me that Mercedes gave up a record contract because she refused to show a little shoulder on the album cover and then she strips off her jacket dances around the choir room in that lil spaghetti strap dress? Okay. Um.. you go girl?)
Remission and Permission: At the Lima Bean Blaine is all aflutter with excitement over the marriage equality news in New York and tells Kurt that he can’t wait to be there to see it all. Blaine also tells his ex-beau that he’s looking cute today and then he clarifies: “And I mean like dirty cute.” (Side-Note: Yes! Finally some Klaine interaction! Also, I have no idea what “dirty cute” is but the fact that Kurt rolled his eyes is making me think that he didn’t like that confusing compliment. Dammit! Pull yourself together Blaine.) Kurt, Blaine, Mercedes and Mike all start to discuss Mercedes’ thoughts for her music video but it quickly becomes clear that Kurt is extremely stressed about Burt’s fate. The four friends exchange positive words and then hold hands in a really sweet — and not as corny as it may seem — way.
Over in the doctors office Kurt is anxiously pacing back-and-forth while Kurt and Carol are nervously waiting to hear the news. (Side-Note: I know that Cory was currently getting treatment at the time and I fully support the fact that he had to miss these last two episodes, but come on Glee! Couldn’t you at least give us a reason as to why Finn is missing from the waiting room? He should obviously be worried about his step-dad’s condition and the fact that we weren’t even presented with an explanation is degrading to Finn’s character.)
The doctor enters the room and tells the family that Burt’s tumor is gone and he’s currently in remission — aka cancer free. The family is ecstatic and Burt exclaims to Kurt all of the things he’s looking forward to: “You getting married, grandbabies, having old-people sex with Carol! I’m just so happy I’m not going to miss it. (Side-Note: Just though you all should know that I have tears in my eyes.)
Kurt is so excited that Burt is healthy that he asks his father to come to the choir room because he wants to dedicate a song to him. “The last time I dedicated a song to you in this room, you were in the hospital, but today we’re celebrating life’s most treasured and wonderful gift: a second chance.” Kurt then sings a lovely cover of “You Are The Sunshine of My Life” complete with back up dancers and lots of “oohs” and “aahs” from the group
Blaine is patiently waiting backstage in the auditorium and Burt comes up to meet him. After a familiar hello, Blaine presents Burt with a little rainbow pin so he could show his support for gay marriage when he’s working in D.C. Burt smiles and automatically reveals that gay marriage is at the top of his agenda — even though it makes him somewhat unpopular with his other colleagues.
Blaine is thrilled to hear that and he tells Burt something wildly unexpected: “I am so glad that you feel that way because assuming that we legally can, I wanted to formally ask for your permission to ask Kurt to marry me. Kurt is my soul mate and I know that I’ve hurt him badly but I also know that if I want to get him back I have to do something bold.” (Side-Note: I knew this was coming but I still coughed on my gummy bears from excitement in this scene.)
Burt tells Blaine that he knows how much he loves Kurt and that he has been like family to him, but he cannot approve of this choice. “No you’re still kids. Did you learn anything from Finn and Rachel?” Blaine retorts that he and Kurt are completely different from Finn and Rachel. Burt sits him down and explains that getting married is a lot more serious than people make it out to be. Burt points out that since Blaine thinks that he are Kurt are a meant-to-be, true-love couple then he doesn’t need to rush anything. Burt explains, “When two people love each other, like you two do, everything works out.” (Side-Note: I’m so confused. On the one hand I think Kurt and Blaine is the greatest couple since peanut butter and jelly and I want to see them ride off on a horse into a magical sunset together but I really don’t want Blaine to rush in to this.)
NEXT: A NYADA Surprise and The Episode’s Best Moments!
Unexpected Kindness: Back in the NYADA halls of New York, Rachel runs into the two snarky gossiping gays we met earlier this season and they quickly confront her about her second Funny Girl call-back. They reveal that the two other girls up for the role of Fanny is two-time Tony Winner Sutton Foster and Meryl Streep’s daughter Mamie Gummer. (Side-Note: Goodness gracious I love Sutton Foster. Every time I get the chance to speak with her she gives me a smile that lasts for weeks a time.) The evil twosome also reminds Rachel that all extra curricular activities must be signed off and approved by all of Rachel’s NYADA teachers — and that includes the dance teacher from hell Miss Cassie July.
On a rainy afternoon Rachel is practicing the lines for her callback in an empty classroom in front of the mirror. Just as we were imagining Rachel taking the stage as a perfect Fanny Brice, Cassie enters the room and flings her favorite insult: “Well if it isn’t little Miss David Schwimmer.” Cassie tells Rachel that she heard all about her Funny Girl callback from Barbra Streisand herself and as it turn out, Rachel’s dance midterm is the exact same time as the audition. (Side-Note: Sheesh! What are the chances? Ahem, why yes those last five words were drenched in heavy sarcasm — how nice of you to notice!) In an act of mean-spirited kindness, Cassie changes Rachel’s midterm to the following morning at 6 AM and assigns Rachel “the most difficult ballet routine ever devised.”
It’s the morning of Rachel’s dance midterm and Cassie happily says she’s ready to watch Little Miss Schwimmer fail but when she opens the door to the classroom, Rachel sees a large group of students waiting for her. Rachel is confused but Cassie is all kinds of amazing and this is exactly what the said: “This is your midterm. This is NYADA we are the best of the best. To make no mistake we will crush you to get the role ourselves but we are also family we get through it together and we celebrate each other when there’s big news—and this is big news. You’ve danced your way through the fire all year and you’re still standing tall so we are going to get you through this midterm so we can kick some NYADA ass and your first big Broadway call-back!” (Side-Note: I’m smiling so big right now it’s kind of hurting my cheeks.)
The group of students burst into cheers of excitement for Rachel and hold up signs of encouragement for her big day. The music starts and Cassie leads the class in a festively fun dance number to “Uptight (Everything’s Alright).” The song ends and Rachel is all smiles and laughing with the group while Cassie walks out the door with a sweet — and slightly smug — smile on her face. (Side-Note: Sometimes I may get irritated with Glee, yell at my TV, and gossip with my friends about the characters’ dumb life choices — but it’s moments like this that made me fall in love with the show. And I’m so glad that I did.)
The Final Five: The next day Rachel walks in to see Cassie and she presents her with a very special thank you gift — Debbie Allen’s original cane from the movie Fame. Rachel thanks Cassie no just for the song but for pushing her so hard these past few months. Cassie smiles and says, “I saw something in you that first day and I thought to myself, ‘This one’s special, this one might make it.’ And that’s why I’m so relentless.” Rachel then asks about “the whole Brody thing” but Cassie quickly dismisses that fling saying that was all for his abs. Cassie tells her student that she is confident that she will win the role of Fanny Brice and gives her a warm embrace before walking out the door. (Side-Note: Wait! Don’t leave us Kate! We’ll miss you Miss July — even though you scared the crap out of us.)
Over in Lima, Blaine pulls Kurt aside into a corner of the McKinley hallway and tells his love that he has something he wants to ask. (Side-Note: Oh my! Calling all Klaine fans: Is this the same place where The Box Scene took place?! God I love that scene with a fiery passion and if any boy ever repeated Blaine heartfelt list of promises to me I’d marry him on the spot. True story.) Blaine works to gather up his courage and it’s clear that he’s trying to ask Kurt to marry him.
Unfortunately Blaine keeps tripping over his words and getting all adorably nervous. In the end, Blaine changes his mind and asks Kurt if he’ll stay to cheer them on for Regionals. Kurt happily reveals that he was already planning on it and he wouldn’t miss it for the world. The two handsome fellas then walk arm-in-arm down the hallway together. (Side-Note: Love. Them.) Over in a ridiculously bright auditorium Artie leads the New Directions in singing “For Once In My Life” and Mercedes, Mike, Kurt and Mr. Schue join in on the fun.
Most Heartwarming Moment: Learning that Burt is cancer free! Now please never ever scare us with Burt’s life ever again!
Most Heartbreaking Moment: Saying goodbye to Miss Cassandra July. She may have been a crazy backstabbing psycho, but at least we know she had Little Miss David Schwimmer’s best intentions at heart.
Quotables:
“And I mean like dirty cute.” — Blaine
“Any if you ever imply again that I’m an old hag, I’m going to tip you over.” — Artie’s Mom
“When two people love each other, like you two do, everything works out.” — Burt
What did you think of “Wonder-ful”? Do you think Blaine should propose to Kurt? Was Mercedes right to walk away from her record deal? Sing your thoughts in the comments below!
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Ebbing and flowing through the 95-minute journey that is The Guilt Trip is the complicated relationship between mother Joyce (Barbra Streisand) and son Andrew (Seth Rogen). Heading off on a road trip together to mend the many wounds that exist between them, the Brewsters inevitably find themselves at odds with one another... and their judgmental GPS system.
The below exclusive deleted scene from the Anne Fletcher (27 Dresses, The Proposal) movie pits the mother and son against one another in a heated, nearly fatal battle, with their car's mechanical voice spouting commands about merging all the while. The whole joke is about Streisand's career predating the GPS era, but shouldn't she at least know the basic tenets of driving on the highway? Those kooky mothers.
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"I think Adele has the voice and talent of her time. She came to my home for a dietetic dinner one night before the Oscars, and as I expected, we just clicked... I'd love her to write a piece of music that we could singer together - or, as she would say, togever!" Barbra Streisand hopes to collaborate with British soul singer Adele.

Poor Jennifer Lawrence, rushing up from the front row to grab her statue for Best Actress in a dress that looks like it won first prize in the Build a Wedding Dress Out of Toilet Paper contest. She fell down. Well, she actually slipped on the banana peel that we all planted there for Anne Hathaway in the hopes that America's most hated actress would take a tumble. But it was Jennifer who stumbled (Hugh Jackman got up to save her fall) and made a joke about how the tumble was the only reason for her standing ovation. It's sad that this was one of the most exciting moments at the 85th Annual Academy Awards.
Yes, this year the Oscars were boring. Well, I don't know if "boring" is the right word. The ceremony is always kind of boring, right? There is the thrill of seeing the host's monologue and the first big Supporting Actor/Actress category. But, typically, that's only followed by the lull of the shorts and documentaries, and then the technical categories before, finally, the ceremony rewards the biggest categories of the night. In recent years, the onslaught of Oscar prognostication in publications and across the Internet created a race that is almost predetermined before the envelopes were opened. (Speaking of which, did we notice that Meryl Streep didn't seem to look at the contents of her envelope, instead decreeing Daniel Day-Lewis the Best Actor winner because she is Meryl F-ing Streep and she can just say so?) This year, the show just seemed more tedious, filled with missed opportunities, some unfortunate technical difficulties, and a muddled tone.
The ceremony was something out of both a frat boy and a homosexual's fever dream. The frat boys had host Seth MacFarlane and his typical potty humor — his schtick included a song about boobs, jokes about pretty girls, comments about how he is decidedly not gay even though everything that has to do with musicals is gay, and edgy quips that could come off racist, sexist, homophobic, and anti-Semitic if you look at them in the wrong light. (After all, the only thing that Seth MacFarlane likes more than a funny voice is a Jew joke.) Then, well, you had all the gay stuff about musicals. And Barbra Streisand. And musicals. And gay people winning awards. But wait — that didn't happen because Tony Kushner and How to Survive a Plague were robbed. Well, at least the gays just got the musicals!
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The theme this year had something to do with movie musicals, which could have been a great boon for the production value of the show. Given that the ceremony was produced by Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, the unambiguously gay duo that specialize in bringing Broadway to the screen, it was the perfect opportunity. Yet the musical salute seemed to be more of a tribute to their musical Chicago than musicals in general. Did we really need to stare into Renée Zellweger's disappearing eye slits as the cast of Chicago reunited on stage?
Plus, we were forced to be privy to a paltry selection of musicals in the tribute itself — only Chicago, Dreamgirls, and a medley from Les Miserables that would make you claw your own ears off were highlighted during the ceremony. Nothing from Best Picture musicals like Gigi, West Side Story, My Fair Lady, or even The Sound of Music? (Instead, the latter Best Picture winner was referenced merely in a Von Trapp Nazi joke.) There is a rich cinematic history of musicals, so where are all the old production numbers that might get people who love Glee logging onto Netflix to watch Sweet Charity? They were in the same place as Zellweger's old face, apparently.
While Shirley Bassey singing "Goldfinger" was one of the highlights of the show, it's difficult to determine just how her package was a tribute to the songs of James Bond. A montage, a few strings from "Live and Let Die," and Bassey's "Goldfinger" — couldn't we have crammed a few more songs in there? Where was Tina Turner, Madonna, Sheryl Crowe, and Duran Duran? 007's case would have been much stronger if the ceremony had capped the tribute off with Adele's "Skyfall," which was inexplicably placed later in the ceremony. (And I couldn't have been the only one left wondering why the Oscars only featured three out of the five Best Original Song entries.)
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Adele's number later ("Skyfall" from Skyfall, of course) was well done, though her nerves — or perhaps sound issues — led to mixed feelings surrounding her comeback. Barbra Streisand, on the other hand, killed her version of "The Way We Were" to cap the In Memoriam montage. But the sound problems only returned for MacFarlane and Kristin Chenoweth's amusing "Let's Hear it for the Losers" soft shoe to end the night.
The musical numbers weren't the only thing plagued with problems during the Oscars. The banter and gags throughout the show fell on unamused ears. The usually always amazing Paul Rudd and Melissa McCarthy bombed with a gag about voice work when presenting Best Animated Feature. And things only got worse: Samuel L. Jackson and Robert Downey Jr. did a confusing bit surrounding a teleprompter argument before awarding Best Cinematography. Was it a joke? Or were they really arguing? Whatever the case, it was awful. And it's just best not to talk about Kristen Stewart's complete inability to annunciate, right?
What's strange, though, is the awards show managed to be the most boring Oscars with the most shocking wins. If you actually picked Christoph Waltz for Best Supporting Actor in your Oscar Pool, then you are a better man than I am. The same goes for Ang Lee, who took home Best Director. Even Lawrence lurched toward victory despite talk that Emmanuelle Riva was poised to steal Oscar gold. The awards this year weren't as cut and dried as they often are (we even had a shocking and exciting tie, but it was for Sound Editing, a category no one can adequately describe not to mention care about), so 2013's ceremony did offer some suspense.
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But not enough to make up for the lack thereof in the night's speeches. When Daniel Day-Lewis becomes known as 2013's class clown, you know the Oscars are in bad shape. There were no animated speeches, no expletive-ridden speeches, and no embarrassing speeches. Anne Hathaway wasn't needy enough, Quentin Tarantino wasn't crazy enough, and Lawrence, maybe thrown off by her bobble, was far more flustered and less winning that we've become used to this awards season. The most remarkable thing about the winners is how they were all trying to outdo Saruman from The Lord of the Rings with their identical long, white hair. Still, Ben Affleck managed to be winning, bringing himself close to tears when Argo won for Best Picture. (The best revenge for a Gigli joke from MacFarlane.)
Speaking of Best Pictures, Michelle Obama shocked us all by appearing on a screen to read the winner and the Oscars said, "Screw you, Golden Globes, for thinking you're so cool that you have Bill Clinton." Yes, there were plenty of surprises and, I'm sure, plenty of moments that will become iconic, but for a show that was more than 30 minutes too long and much longer than most in recent memory, there didn't seem to be that much return on the investment of our time. It was so long, but, for what? All that Captain Kirk stuff at the beginning? All those extraneous musical numbers that seemed more poised to sell Blu-rays than actually educate the public? When the big highlight is Jennifer Lawrence almost embarrassing herself (as if that's possible), you know Oscar has plenty to work on before 2014.
Follow Brian Moylan on Twitter @BrianJMoylan
[Photo Credit: Kevin Winter/Getty Images]
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While there is always something to be said about invention, progress, the new, we are also sure to find ourselves, time and time again, reveling in our pasts. Our memories. The way we were.
Okay, that was kind of a hokey introduction, but I’m all swept up in Barbra Streisand’s chilling reunion with her old Oscar winning number, “The Way We Were.” At the 85th Annual Academy Awards, the one-named sensation Barbra — heroine to just about every subculture you can think of — paid tribute to a deceased icon in the Hollywood music business, Marvin Hamlisch. Closing out the “In Memorium” segment of the Oscars was a particular homage to Hamlisch, esteemed composer and conductor responsible for the scores of classic films dating from the 1960s straight through 2009 (his final movie being Steven Soderbergh’s The Informant!).
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Streisand took the stage to speak earnestly on her old collaborator Hamlisch, treating the world to a tearful, shiver-inducing rendition of the Oscar-winning title song from the 1973 romance The Way We Were.
Proving duly that not an inkling of talent has strayed from her superhuman pipes since she first brought the song to life 40 years back, Streisand managed to make us all delve back upon our own memories of times gone by. Whatever they may be — the golden years of our innocent youths, old flames flickered out, that time we got those really good pancakes from the diner on 23rd Street — they crept right up on us when Streisand belted out the soothing yet haunting refrain of “The Way We Were.”
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And in a night devoted entirely to Hollywood music, we find ourselves faced with a true highlight. In company as impressive as Adele, Shirley Bassey, Jennifer Hudson, and Catherine Zeta-Jones, Streisand’s is quite possibly the best performance of the night.
And now to the VHS shelves to watch The Way We Were, for the thirtieth time...
[Photo Credit: Mark Davis/WireImage]
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Happy days are here again! Why? Because Barbra Streisand is set to sing at the 85th Annual Academy Awards, making this her first Oscars performance in 36 years. Finally: a return to the way we were. No more tears. She's comin' in (not out) of our lives. Her hiatus hits a stoney end. Send in the clown. Okay, you get the point.
Hollywood.com has confirmed that Streisand will take to the stage at the forthcoming Oscars ceremony to offer a yet unspecified ballad. The last time the beloved icon of stage, screen and song performed at the Academy Awards was in 1977, immediately following the release of her mensa mensa A Star Is Born remake, with a rendition of the feature film's romantic theme "Evergreen."
So what do people want to see Barbra take on this time around? An old classic like "Don't Rain on My Parade"? Or perhaps something more contemporary? Her latest big screen feat, The Guilt Trip, failed to show off her vocal abilities, so it isn't as though she's got a new hit number just aching to make its way onto the Oscars stage. Of course, there is always the chance that she takes the meta route.
In the meantime, have yourself a good cry:
[Photo Credit: David Becker/Getty Images]
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("Evergreen" "People" "The Way We Were" "Somewhere" "Something's Coming" "Send in the Clowns" "Guilty" "What Kind of Fool" "Papa, Can You Hear Me?" "Over the Rainbow" "It's a New World" "Happy Days Are Here Again" "America the Beautiful")

Synopsis

A special featuring Barbra Streisand, taped at the fund-raising concert she hosted at her ranch in California on September 6, 1986. The event, which raised $1.5 million for the Hollywood Women's Political Committee, marked Streisand's first full-length concert in twenty years.